Non-denominational worship service

[ofpheritup]

Over the years I have gone but as much as I have learned I don't go anymore. There is no point to it, not really.

For me it came down to "I can't dance with one shoe."

The preaching is great but No Communion. It was like I only have one shoe. I can't do anything with one shoe. There is a "fill in the blank" situation. The Mass is complete, we are fulfilled. The Mass and the Catholic Church gives us "both shoes."

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Light and Truth' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:41 PM']I am shocked by the way you speak of Protestants as though all were like that.  I have been to Mass on the campus of my old college and it had no music.  If you add some old hymns, take away references to Mary with the exception of the Apostles creed, and maybe change two or three other words, you have the exact litergical Protestant "worship" service that I grew up with except of course for your belief in real presence in the eucharist.  But then again, I have the presumably utterly skewed idea that worship is more dependant on attitude of and purpose than merely the external manner in which words are expressed, especially when either way is mean to express love of and devotion to God.
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LT you are missing the smile in Jasjis's reply. EENS is exploring totally to him new and foreign territory and J is poking gentle fun at him.

[tojo]

Sam, I suspect that you use of the term "non-denominational" may not be quite accurate. People often confuse what should be called "inter-denominational" with what is "non-denominational." Now, this is a pet peeve of mine (I used to attend a non-denom church), so please bear with my little side note here:

"Inter-denominational" refers to "between or among (many) denominations." The term operates similarly to the term, "inter-faith." Inter-denominational groups and events tend to focus on some common goal or theme, and often have the side effect of trying to be the mythical "generic Christianity."

"Non-denominational" refers to "not of any denomination." Non-denominational churches are a subset of "independent churches." The basic idea behind being independent is having a (usually) congregational-style system of church governance with no official associations or affiliations with any denomination. Most independent churches which aren't non-denominational, can be closely identified doctrinally and stylistically with a particular denominational family, and have often previously belong to a particular denomination. The classic examples are the many, many independent Baptist churches.

"Non-denominational churches," however, usually form as originally entirely independent congregations with no denominational affiliations at all. They also tend to not be easy to give a particular Protestant label. My former church for example, was conservative, evangelical, baptistic, slightly charismatic, slightly semi-calvinistic, and had a few anabaptistic sympathies. They borrowed from nearly all forms of non-liturgical Protestantism, but they have very definite beliefs and they're not "inter-denominational."

Furthermore, many, if not most nondenominational churches, including the one I belonged to, do not hope to grow into a denomination, nor would they ever consider joining one, they believe in non-denominationalism. While most easily tolerate congregational-denominationalism, they believe non-denominationalism is superior, because it allows the greatest freedom of personal biblical interpretion possible while still having (individual) churches and firm doctrinal beliefs.

Edited November 21, 2005 by tomasio127

[fatboyluis]

its cool that u can go to these events or services, but do not get carried away and be careful, many ppl have fallen away from the Church because of the cleverness of these denominations

i pray for your strengh and trust in God

[beatty07]

Isn't a non-denominational church just a really really really small denomination?

[beatty07]

I learned a lesson at a Baptist praise service for teens years ago. At the end everyone closed their eyes and sang this really moving refrain over and over like a mantra, and the preacher invited up everyone who wanted to get to know Jesus better and follow him. I thought, hey, I definitely want to know Jesus better, and won't it be a great witness to my friends that a Catholic is the first to say so? So up I went! I had no idea what an altar call was! So someone takes me to a back room and starts in with basic Baptist catechesis like I'd never heard of Christ before. So I guess I got saved.

Which is cool, because now I can keep being Catholic and STILL not go to hell for it. Once saved always saved! ha ha!

[tojo]

[quote name='beatty07' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:30 PM']Isn't a non-denominational church just a really really really small denomination?
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NO!!!!

:

[quote]Non-denominational Christianity
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from Non-denominational)
Jump to: navigation, search

In Christianity, the term non-denominational refers to those churches which have not formally aligned themselves with an established denomination. Non-denominational churches establish their own internal means and methods of policy and worship without interference from the policies and worship practices of regional, national, or multinational organizations. Members of non-denominational churches often consider themselves simply "Christians", and many feel at home when visiting any number of other denominational churches with compatible beliefs.

On the other hand, some non-denominational churches consciously reject the idea of a denominational structure as a matter of doctrine, insisting that each congregation must be autonomous[/quote]

You can read the rest of the article here: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-denominational"]Non-Denominational Christianity[/url]

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Nov 21 2005, 11:56 AM']LT you are missing the smile in Jasjis's reply.   EENS is exploring totally to him new and foreign territory  and J is poking gentle fun at him.
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Glad you pointed that out. I didn't read it that way, either. And I thought it was unlike J to be so harsh.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='beatty07' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:31 PM']Which is cool, because now I can keep being Catholic and STILL not go to hell for it.  Once saved always saved!  ha ha!
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I guess you have your bases covered...

Hey! I'm kidding!

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

OK i defiantly understand. you are right it was inter-denominational. some of the leaders were Catholics. And after going i think God brought something good out of it because after being a Radical Traditonalist I am finally coming Home to the Catholic church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[beatty07]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Nov 21 2005, 01:46 PM']NO!!!!

:
You can read the rest of the article here: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-denominational"]Non-Denominational Christianity[/url]
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hmmm...I'm not sure I particularly care what Wikipedia thinks about it. But it strikes me that a denomination is defined by organization and doctrine. "non-denominational" churches have both. The doctrine might only be "organized religion is bad" and the organization might only be a building and a bank account, but there you have it.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

they are bible churches.

[tojo]

[quote name='beatty07' date='Nov 21 2005, 04:54 PM']hmmm...I'm not sure I particularly care what Wikipedia thinks about it.  But it strikes me that a denomination is defined by organization and doctrine.  "non-denominational" churches have both.  The doctrine might only be "organized religion is bad" and the organization might only be a building and a bank account, but there you have it.
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Not caring what others think and interpreting reality on your own authority, is a very unCatholic attitude, imo.

Edited November 21, 2005 by tomasio127

[Anastasia13]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:21 PM']Glad you pointed that out. I didn't read it that way, either. And I thought it was unlike J to be so harsh.
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Oh, I didn't know and I didn't see the smilies. I'm sorry.

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Nov 21 2005, 04:05 PM']Not caring what others think and interpreting reality on your own authority, is a very unCatholic attitude, imo.
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Good answer.

[Oren]

Im a Nondenominational christian. I used to be Catholic, and I believe Jesus is the way, not Nondenominational, not Catholic, not Baptist.

[cmotherofpirl]

Jesus is the way and he founded the Catholic Church to guide us home.
Welcome to phatmass

[beatty07]

[quote name='tomasio127' date='Nov 21 2005, 06:05 PM']Not caring what others think and interpreting reality on your own authority, is a very unCatholic attitude, imo.
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WOW!!!!!!!

I'd sure hate to be the guy you accused of this!

oh, wait....

I stand corrected. I repent and recant. From now on I will never ever ever present subversive content daring to question the dogmatic teaching authority of www.wikipedia.com on the definition of religious terms.

wow, LandT, you too? Am I way off base here? Are we all speaking the same language? I just can't fathom how my ambivalence to wikipedia constitutes "not caring what others think, etc." Maybe I need some serious correction here...if so help me out because I REALLY don't understand this reaction.

Edited November 22, 2005 by beatty07

[jasJis]

I didn't think I was being harsh, just a little pointed humor.
Actually I really was a little shocked, knowing how ultra-orthodox Eeens is. Plus, I just recently read that bit about what protties call 'worship' and what Cathies call 'worship' and how that causes their misunderstanding of us honoring Mary. I think it's a great point and was glad I could use the idea in a post. I think it's a great thing for Catholics to let Protestants understand what they call 'worship' is just praise to us, and the Mass with the Eucharist is REAL worship. It's also good distinction for those Cathies that think we shouldn't even pray w/ prots. It's okay to pray with them if it's praise or honoring, but we Cathies worship in the Mass.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

i know non-denominational chrsitains they cool

they love the bible so much. its great!


JasJis was not bieng harsh. it was all in good taste, and i thought it was funny

Edited November 22, 2005 by Extra ecclesiam nulla salus

[tojo]

[quote name='beatty07' date='Nov 22 2005, 04:10 PM']WOW!!!!!!!

I'd sure hate to be the guy you so flippantly accused of this!

oh, wait....

I stand corrected.  I repent and recant.  From now on I will never ever ever present subversive content daring to question the dogmatic teaching authority of www.wikipedia.com on the definition of religious terms.
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I'm not claiming Wikipedia to be authoritative, I'm just saying that their opinion (as a rather reputable site) isn't something you just shouldn't care about.

I initially gave simply my own views on the matter (which I clearly indicated wasbased on actual personal experience). When you disagreed, I cited another opinion, that of an online encyclopedia I find to be reputable. If I was aware of any encyclicals discussing non-denominationalism, I may cited them, however, I'm not aware of any.

All you ever presented me with is, as far as you indicated, simply your own personal musings on the subject, which you have not indicated to be based upon any real personal knowledge or experience. You never cited aby supporting opinions for your position, when I did, you simply dismissed them, indicating you didn't care. In the context of your posts, that seemed to indicate you didn't care about the opinions of others which contradicted your own, even if your own are rather (seemingly) arbitrary.

As a convert to Catholicism, one key element of my conversion was to realize that I should care what the majority of Christians have always believed, more than that of the dissenting minority. While this certainly doesn't wholly translate to spheres outside of the faith, there is a valuable underlaying principle to not consider your own opinions
more highly than those of others, especially those which could be considered to be more authoritative than your own, which I think is vital to a proper Catholic mindset.

However, with all that said, I never intended to offend you, and hope you bear no hard feelings towards me, as I certainly don't towards you.

Edited November 22, 2005 by tomasio127